Jonathan Ward

Extended Diploma In Creative Media Production

Task - Unit 26 Film Studies L02

Same Film, Different Time and Place

REC and Quarantine

In this essay I will be comparing the two films REC and Quarantine, the relationship and their production contexts. I will be comprehensively explaining the purpose of the two films being made within a year of one another, one being a remake and giving full information about the films such as directors, release dates, distributors, etc. Answering the question why such a similar film was made so soon after the original in a different location.

REC

The film REC is Spanish horror which was released in November 2007, directed by Jaume Balagueró and Paco Plaza. Distributed by Filmax and made available with subtitles, it had a budget of 1.5 million euros and made a huge gross of 32 million euros worldwide. The film is named after the *REC label seen when video recording through the lens or viewer. The film has received top nominations/awards and has been named in the top 20 horrors of all time.

The film follows a young reporter (Angela, Manuela Valasco) and her cameraman (Pablo, Pablo Rosso), sent to film a routine nightshift at a Barcelona fire station while recording for a fictional TV series. Whilst there the fire station receives a call for a fire and an old woman being trapped in her apartment, after gaining access to the woman flat she bites a policeman. The pair then begin to uncover the hidden secrets as to what is really going on. Only to be confined to the building by the police.

Quarantine

Jonathan Ward

Extended Diploma In Creative Media Production

Task - Unit 26 Film Studies L02

In October 2008, only one year after the release of REC the film Quarantine was released. This time made in the USA for the English speaking world, directed by John Erick Dowdle and distributed by Screen gems. The budget for the film was $12 million and it made $41 million although the film is a remake, the film didn’t profit as much as REC due to spending more on making it.

The film is basically a remake of REC but set in Los Angeles with new actors. Again it centres on a female reporter (Angela, Jenifer Carpenter) and cameraman (Scott, Steve Harris) following a routine nightshift at a fire station and the discovery of the secrets of the apartment block. This time locked in by the CDC who have quarantined the building.

Similarities

Not only is REC a horror but the film was made with shaky camerawork, basically filmed handheld in a documentary style as though as the whole point of the movie is to gather news for the viewers. This technique was of some interest in the cinema franchise at this time because of films such as Cloverfield (Matt Reeves- Paramount Pictures, 2008). The film is influenced by video games. This style was a good choice because at the time it was something different to normal films, it makes it seem more realistic and it attracts audiences because it is almost looks like a first person shooting video game, especially when the reporter is attacking the infected humans. The dark settings and a close proximity to the action draws the audience in and enhances the shock and horror aspects of the film, whilst the rough shaky style emphasises movement and gives a sense of urgency.

Likewise Quarantine uses the same technique and is very much a shot per shot remake with the same influences.

Neither film used known stars both preferring small names rather than box office names.

Differences

Apart from the language and location difference Quarantine has few additional and extended scenes but the main difference is in the ending when the cause of the zombie virus is identified. REC is based on religious beliefs and the supernatural whereas Quarantine a military super virus. The difference is probably down to many things the lack of social acceptance of the audience of the supernatural and religious based stories of the American audience versus the more believable creation of a super virus by a super power. There is also something rather more sinister about something that you feel could possibly happen.

Production Contexts

Jonathan Ward

Extended Diploma In Creative Media Production

Task - Unit 26 Film Studies L02

When producing REC, Cloverfield and Diary of the Dead (George A Romero- Artfire Films, 2007) were already in production and there was a trend in the market for this type of film. Quarantine following the trend and the previously successful REC attempted to bring the sub-titled cult film to the blockbuster American market, with its mass audience it was guaranteed to be a financial success with a low risk. The audience were interested in the first person type film and the industry wanted to keep up the interest in this type of movie so that more could be made. Meeting audience demand can guarantee a success.

A big influence in remaking the film was the language barrier. The populations of English speaking countries are often lazy when it comes to other languages and reading sub-titles even when the script is short is effort. English is also understood internationally which makes the market and the budget for the film larger. The Spanish film industry is relatively small which means that the budget must be smaller to ensure a profit. Had REC been made in English the remake could not have been justified by simple changing the ending it would have left the studio in financial ruin. Distributing the film so quickly also meant that REC hadn’t got established and the easier watch was available.

Technology wise the films are both low budget, poor lighting and shaky cameras films being far easier to produce rather than a glossy smooth production where minor glitches can easily be seen. This again added to the attraction for the audience who could see the rough shots instead of blue screen computer generated effects making the film so much more real.

Distribution of the two films was totally different with the specialist film REC being shown at small cult and exhibition cinemas as a Spanish horror film whereas Quarantine was distributed as a normal cinema goers film in the horror genre.

Synergy

The speed that Screen Gems was able to produce the film was down to it being a vertically integrated company. As part of the Sony Group there was a synergy between the companies, existing links meant that partnerships and co-operation in working together came naturally. Having this synergy and being able to work together contributed to the overall success. Horizontal integration also helped bring similar minds together on the project.

I watched the film REC and then Quarantine, both films kept my attention and were enjoyable. I could see and recognise the similarities as I watched them but this wasn’t too distracting. Choosing a favourite was difficult but REC stood out being the most entertaining. It wasn't the sort of film I would usually watch but I found the use of a different language in the film made me concentrate and focus more on keeping up with what was happening.

Jonathan Ward

Extended Diploma In Creative Media Production

Task - Unit 26 Film Studies L02

Quarantine is a remake, when I watched it it did not have as much intensity as when I watched REC because I already knew what was about to happen. Maybe if I had watched them the other way round I would feel differently.

Other remakes

This isn’t the first film to be remade, over the years a number of films have been remade;

'The Awful Truth' (1925), was a silent film remade as a talkie in 1937 (Leo McCarey).

‘Ocean’s Eleven’ (Steven Soderbergh, 2001) is a colour remake of the 1960 Lewis Milestone film.

‘The Magnificent Seven’ (John Strurges, 1960) is a remake of the ‘Japanese Seven Samurai’ (Akira Kurosawa, 1954).

These films were remade for specific reasons to add sound, colour and change the language.

Other films such as Karate Kid (John G, Alvildsen, 1984 and Harald Zwart, Steven Spielberg, 2010) and War of the Worlds (Byron Haskin, 1953 and 2005) were remade to make them more contemporary and not look so dated. These were remade to keep fantastic stories alive and as the films were very successful at an earlier date, with more broad and new generation minds of directors such as Steven Spielberg could only make them more successful in the day and age we live in today. It isn’t just the advancing in film direction but technology has advanced massively and distributors have developed, so money can be made in several ways just off one production such as DVD’s, merchandise, posters and most of all the huge development of film cinemas. With the likes of the internet, famous actors can be a key eye catching way of making an audience want to watch a film. In a film such as in War of the Worlds, Tom Cruise is the main actor and previous fans of films he has been in would know that his films are full of action. Whilst in Karate Kid, Jackie Chan stars and fans of his previous movies know that they full of action. The film also gave Jaden Smith an opportunity to make his debut as a huge main character, this caused a lot of interest and excitement amongst fans as they knew that he is the son of worldwide famous actor Will Smith. These films were made specifically to make money, their success with a good story and famous actors is a guaranteed money maker for the production and synergy partners who make the merchandise.

Jonathan Ward

Extended Diploma In Creative Media Production

Task - Unit 26 Film Studies L02

I don’t mind a remake but some people would argue that you cannot remake a good film and that the real reason is that there are no good films being written or that nobody wants to risk a new film when a remake will make a reasonable profit. Some remakes come round far too often and the current trend seems to be to remake Spiderman. Having produced films in 1990, 1994, 2002, 2004, 2007, 2011 and 2012 the next film is called ‘The Amazing Spiderman’ (Mark Webb) and is due out in the summer of 2012. Personally I think these are made purely for financial factors and I am sure that the interest in the films is beginning to fade.